POTATO SUPPLIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21102, 12 August 1930, Page 13

POTATO SUPPLIES.

AN INCREASED YIELD,

PROVINCIAL AND DOMINION FIGURES.

(Special to Daily Tikes.) WELLINGTON, August 11. Growers of potatoes were asked recently by the Government to furnish information of their actual yields at digging, and the report of the Government Statistician (Mr Malcolm Fraser) on the yield figures this season was made available for publication to-night by the Minister of Internal lAffairs (Mr P. A. de la Perrelle). It is shown that, compared with last year, the total area in potatoes increased by 1879 acres, or 8.82 per cent., whilst the total yield ,wae heavier by 6314 tons, or 5.18 per cent. The respective average yields per acre were 3.97 tons table and 1.83, tons seed, etc., making a total of 5.80 tons in 1928-29, and 3.76 tons table and 1.84 tons seed, etc., making a total of 5.60 tons, in 1929-30. Whereas the proportion of table potatoes was 68.4 per cent, of the whole crop last year, a slight decline to 67.1 per cent, this year is apparent. It should be borne in mind that the figures are for all holdings of one acre or over, situated outside borough boundaries. The following statement shows the area and yield of potatoes in the Dominion for the season 1029-30: — Area in Table Seed, Potatoes, Sorts. etc. Acres. Tons. Tons. North Island .. 4,874 19,331 7,337 Nelson, Marlborough, and Westland 745 2,664 1.041 Canterbury .. 14,605 52,707 28,563 Otago and Southland .. .. .. 2,058 12,416 5,862 Totals Dominion, 1929-30 .. .. 23,183 87,118 42.803 Totals Dominion, 1928-29 .. ~ 21,304 84,529 39,078 The following are the Dominion totals for last year:— _ Tons. North Island *. •• • • 26,668 Nelson, Marlborough, Westland 3,905 Canterbury 81,270 Otago and Southland .. .. 18,278

Total •• 129,921 The Dominion total for 1928-29 was 123,607 tons.